Recreational Marihuana Legalization in Michigan November 12, 2015 www.crcmich.org
2 Michigan Would be 5 th State to Authorize Recreational Marihuana
Market Size Market Landscape Colorado Washington Michigan (MI Legalize) Est. 175 metric tons (all??? ages) Population: 7 million Population: 10 million Est. 121 metric tons (21 and older resident) Population: 5.4 million Market Structure Vertically integrated cultivation, processing and manufacturing, and retail are common enterprise Three tier producer, processor, and retailer Prohibition against producer/processor also being a retailer Medical Marihuana Regulated Unregulated until July 2015 Dispensaries being phased out retail stores to replace Home Grow Misc. Allowed (transfer up to one ounce to a person 21 older) Prohibited Two tier product manufacturer and retailer No prohibition against same person holding both licenses Largely unregulated at state level Allowed (transfer 2.5 ounces or less to consumer) New hemp industry regulated by Dept. of Agriculture and Rural Dev. 3
Regulatory Level Local Zoning Ordinance Licensees and Limits Fees Regulatory System Colorado Washington Michigan (MI Legalize) State top down State top down Local governments Department of Revenue Liquor and Cannabis Board Dept. of Treasury responsible for tax collection Yes Yes Yes Required - Producer/ Processor/Retailer/Testing No limit on number Uniform based on establishment type and size Required - Cultivation/ Manufacturing/Store/Testing No limit on number Uniform based on establishment type and size Required - marihuana establishment No limit on number Unknown, likely non-uniform (not to exceed $5,000 per establishment) Inventory Tracking Mandatory Mandatory Not Mandatory (seed to sale) Testing Mandatory third party Mandatory third party Not mandatory (implied for edibles) Labeling Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory 4
Can Marihuana Solve the State s Fiscal Problems? Taxes Colorado Washington Michigan (MI Legalize) 37% retail sales State sales tax Local sales tax if applicable 15% (wholesale rate) 10% (retail sales) State sales tax Local sales tax if applicable 10% retail sales State sales tax Local taxes prohibited by state constitution Medical Marihuana Exempt Yes but pays sales tax No but exempt from sales tax State Tax Revenue FY2015 ~ $88M FY2015 ~ $70M FY2019 ~ $369 Revenue Disposition State (enforcement) General Fund Local governments Local governments School construction Yes??? Transportation (40%) Schools (40%) Local governments (20%) 5
Cleaning Up the 2008 Initiated Law Regulating Medical Marihuana Facilities Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (HB 4209) creates an entirely new and separate regulatory and taxation system (not MMMA) Looks very similar to CO/WA systems State-run, top down regulation Three-tier (grower, processor, provisioning center - dispensary) License based on type and size (# of plants) Creates secure transporter and testing licenses 3% tax of gross retail income (75% to locals) Creates seed to sale tracking system (HB 4827) 6
Maintaining Separate Regulatory and Taxation Systems? Washington Legislature merged previously unregulated medical industry with new recreational industry Regulatory and tax structures more unified under merger Michigan MMMA would remain in place with recreational use approval Proposed legislation (HB 4209) would establish a separate licensing and regulation framework from MMMA for medical marijuana Result: Three separate systems 7
Some Takeaways WA and CO had medical marijuana long before recreational pot was authorized, Michigan since 2008 WA and CO regulatory systems mirror liquor control model, Michigan gives control to local governments WA and CO combine both medical and recreational pot markets, Michigan keeps them separate Pot is not a huge boon to the state budget, but it helps 8
Sources Consulted National Conference of State Legislatures, Marijuana Overview, September 2015. The Marijuana Policy Group, Market Size and Demand for Marijuana in Colorado, 2014. The Rand Corporation, Before the Grand Opening, Measuring Washington State s Marijuana Market in the Last Year Before Legalized Commercial Sales, 2014. Brookings Institute, Colorado s Rollout of Legal Marijuana is Succeeding, July 2014. Colorado Department of Revenue, Marijuana Enforcement Division, Annual Update 2014, February 2015. Washington State, Liquor and Cannabis Board, FAQs on I-502, www.liq.wa.gov. 9